four years ago, vice president biden of course debated sarah palin but he will be facing a much different opponent this time around. >> nice to meet you. can i call you joe? >> it started with a warm handshake and smiles all around. a friendly start to the vice presidential debate in 2008, pitting joe biden against relative newcomer to national stage, alaska governor sarah palin. >> john mccain said at 9:00 in the morning that the fundamentals of the economy were strong. 11:00 that same day, two mondays ago, john mccain said that we have an economic crisis. >> we're tired of the old politics as usual and that's why, with all due respect, i do respect your years in the u.s. senate, but i think americans are craving something new and different. >> biden was on his best behavior, carefully aiming his attacks at her running mate, john mccain, not at palin herself. and that was by design. >> he had to be careful not to be talking down to her in any way, not only because she didn't have any national experience but also because she was a woman, and both of those things are a little tricky to dea